JAYDOUBLEYOU

My grateful thanks to those truly decent human beings who gave their silent support, and even more to those who openly offered  their sound advice and support…especially, Tony, CrazyGreg and Foghorn.

It was clearly a ‘shameful act’ that the two Immigration Officers insist I leave Thailand immediately, rather than offering the 2 month extension that I was already ‘qualified for’.

Equally shameful, are those of you who did not see this, and instead opted to defend them outright.

Tomorrow, I’m driving my wife the three hours back to Chonburi Cancer Hospital…a sadly depressing place that I wouldn’t wish on anyone…except perhaps…
 

Here, is my recent experience, at RAYONG Immigration…the office I have used with minimal problems over the previous 8 years.

I went there with my Thai wife, who sadly, has been battling terminal cancer for the past sixteen months, and is currently still having chemotherapy.

Previously, most Officers have been polite, even friendly…this time both female Immigration Officers were openly belligerent and aggressive.

As I have now used my life’s savings on my wife’s on-going ‘battle’, for the first time ever I did not have sufficient funds to apply for my ‘usual’ Retirement extension.

Thanks to sound advice from Ubon Joe, I prepared the necessary paperwork to switch over to an extension based on Marriage (9 years so far).

As a Retired School Assistant Principal, I receive a Superannuation Pension, paid into my Teachers Mutual Bank, in Australia.

I presented Monthly Bank Statements from my Australian Bank - showing my Superannuation payments going into my Australian Bank (every fortnight), and then ‘coming out’ into various Thai ATMs.

ALL those monies from the Thai ATMs, I then deposit directly into my Thai Krunthai Account…approximately 63,000 per month.

I also presented a six-month set of Bank Statements from Krungthai Bank to confirm these deposits, along with a Krungthai Bank Letter.

For good measure, I added an official letter from my NSW State Superannuation Fund in Australia, attesting to my Annual, and Fortnightly income.

Result…NO!

Why?

Well, the Immigration Officer said that my Teachers Bank Statements, and my letter from the State Superannuation could be FAKES.

AND, through this whole 20 minutes of ‘discussion’, NOT ONCE did either of these Officers ever talk directly to me, or even look at me…they directed the whole conversation at my poor, sick wife.

My wife then asks, “As my husband’s Visa expires tomorrow, how can he get a new Visa to stay in Thailand?”

The Senior Officer, grunted, and said to my wife, “He can leave the country tomorrow, and get a Visa to come back in…and stay for just one or two months”.

My wife then FINALLY says, “He cannot go anywhere, he has to take me to Chonburi Cancer Hospital, for five days of chemotherapy, starting on Wednesday.”

The Officers look at each other, and slink off to have a ‘meeting’.

Eventually they return, and the Senior Officer, says to Wan, they will give me just a 2 month extension…pay 1900 B, and complete some paperwork.

When I ask Wan was this on ‘compassionate grounds’, she says ABSOLUTELY NOT…it was because they were SCARED FOR THEMSELVES and their families!

My wife says that ‘Thai Superstition’ says that if Thais do not help someone with a major illness or disease, they thenTHEY or THEIR FAMILY may get that illness.

Oh boy.

Anyway, as I have been since busy caring for my wife - post her recent chemo - I have not yet had a chance to contact Ubon Joe, and ask him for his sound advice, re what to do seven weeks from now.

Dear, oh dear, what a mess.

As I have suggested previously…the maximum speed should be equal to the operator’s IQ.

This solution will see many, many Thai drivers ditch their cars and bikes in favour of walking.

In the meantime, “be afraid, be very afraid.”

The annual road ‘carnage’ shows clearly that Thais have no self-control.

The ONLY way to lower the road toll is simple. 

ALL vehicles must be fitted with a ‘governor’, that sets the maximum speed equal to the operator’s IQ.

This solution will see many, many Thai drivers ditch their cars and bikes in favour of walking.

In the meantime, “be afraid, be very afraid.”

The annual road ‘carnage’ shows clearly that Thai have no self-control.

The ONLY way to lower the road toll is simple. 

ALL vehicles must be fitted with a ‘governor’, that sets the maximum speed equal to the operator’s IQ.

This solution will see many, many Thai drivers ditch their cars and bikes in favour of walking.

In the meantime, “be afraid, be very afraid.”

I hope the move does gain UNESCO approval...I like a story with a happy ending.

A big thank to you ’Sticky’, for coming back with a very honest Second Post.

Your latest comments show a new insight, and you have my gratitude for sharing those thoughts.

Thank you Don for your condolences…very much appreciated.

AND best wishes to you sir, for a full and speedy recovery yourself…it sounds like you’re in good hands.

AND Don, I like your summation of my poor MIL’s case.

Good luck.

Firstly ’Sticky’, let’s sort one thing out.

Your post is clearly aimed solely at defending the doctor’s initial consult.

The very fact that you claim otherwise should make all readers highly suspicious of your motivation.

It seems very strange that you would invest time in seeking information on the Internet that infers there is “no good treatment” for Lacunar Stroke.

Your post certainly seems somewhat biased.

Have you read my Mother-in-Law’s full MRI Scan Report? NO.

Have you read her full Blood Test Report? NO.

Are you a qualified and experienced Medical Practician? Hmm?

The Australian Physician who reviewed ALL of the reports, said that we have every right to be angry…”very angry”.

The fact is, my Mother-in-Law was sent home from the Hospital consult not even knowing that she had suffered a stroke…as detailed in the MRI Report.

The Hospital Doctor knew that, BUT he chose not to let his patient know.

Does that seem reasonable?

Yes, sorry Steven, it was indeed ‘Jadee’ that offered that comment, re effective early intervention being crucial for stroke victims.

My thanks to you though, for your own very perceptive response.

No, no, Nancy…sharing this recount of my Mother-in-Law’s sad passing, is not about libel…I have not named either the doctor or the hospital.

Your earlier assessment was much more correct.

As were the sentiments and advice of the great majority of our ThaiVisa colleagues.

I would particularly commend both ‘Jadee’ and ’Steven L’.

The post WAS about us moving on from this sad and sorry saga.

IT was also about asking if people thought our concerns were justified.

As ’Steven L’ has pointed out, for stroke victims, their prognosis depends largely on proper early intervention and treatment.

We questioned whether our mum was provided with sufficient care and attention.

I turned to the ThaiVisa Forum for some words of support, knowing that most members are quite knowledgeable, and have a wealth of experience.

I am very grateful to the caring folk who have replied, yourself included Nancy.

Thanks again to all my ThaiVisa colleagues for your interest, concern and support...it is greatly appreciated.

Linda, your insightful comments, along with the constructive advice and suggestions you offer are right ‘on the money’.

Speaking of which…yes, we had sought a refund from the hospital.

After I sent them a letter detailing my concerns, we were invited to a meeting.

Prior to arriving, my wife and I were hoping that even if the hospital did not want to admit that the initial doctor could have done more, perhaps they would at least demonstrate care and compassion.

We took along a photo of my late Mother-in-Law, to remind the Hospital authorities of the lovely human being she was.

I dragged my best suit out of moth-balls - to show them I was serious.

Hah…they had five people at the meeting, including a Lawyer and an interpreter.

Basically, they just stuck to their argument of “All treatment given to our mother was OK”.

THEY even went so far as to get a Doctor from Bangkok to review the case…and he agreed it was OK.

Still, neither that doctor, nor any person present at the meeting, would answer my two key questions:

Question 1- “If you were the initial doctor treating my mother-in-law, would you have done more?”

Question 2 - “Again, if my MIL was your patient, would you have told her the full results of her MRI Scan, and Blood Tests?”

There was definitely no offer of any refund or compensation,

AND at the end of the meeting, the Lawyer said something in Thai to my wife which made her very angry - she is normally quite placid.

This lawyer told my wife that I should be very careful, because Thailand has strong Libel Laws.

I told him that if he was trying to intimidate us, that it would only make us more determined, AND if the Hospital was in the right, then why would they need to hide behind the libel law.

By my now sharing this story with the ThaiVisa Community, we are demonstrating our love of our mum, and the strength of our resolve to get answers to all our questions…if not from the hospital, then at least from our ThaiVisa colleagues.

THEN maybe, we can have some closure to what has been a very trying and traumatic time for the whole family.

Thank you all for your support.

That’s just it Sandgroper…I have!

I have had several discussions (in person), with a number of the Hospital’s doctors - both as the events were unfolding, and after my MIL passed away.

They maintain that the treatment was OK…even getting a second opinion to support this.

HOWEVER, when I ask the following questions, every single doctor is SILENT…they just look at me.

Question 1- “If you were the initial doctor treating my mother-in-law, would you have done more?”

Question 2 - “Again, if my MIL was your patient, would you have told her the full results of her MRI Scan, and Blood Tests?”

Nobody from the hospital will give a verbal response to either question…their BODY LANGUAGE however, tells me their answers.

Please, let me firstly offer my personal thanks to ALL of you, the respondents who gave of your time to offer sympathy and words of kindness, as well as astute observations and commentary.

My late mother-in-law was a lovely lady, and always ‘in my corner’.

Just to summarise the sad saga:

(1) Due to the severity of my MIL’a headaches, it was my wife who suggested we by-pass the Public Hospital, and instead take her mum to the well-established Hospital for a professional and immediate assessment and diagnosis.

(2) We did not see a copy of the original MRI Report until two weeks later.

(3) THE issue, and question is, “If the consulting doctor at this hospital had taken more pro-active measures - such as suggested

by the Sydney Physician - would the outcome have been much more positive.

After all, my mother-in-law was totally mobile and lucid when she first presented.

Again, my grateful appreciation to all of you, the support helps with the healing process, and in moderating my anger.

My Thai Mother-in-Law is dead…passing away exactly two months ago, at the age of 67.

Worried at the sudden onset of her severe, inexplicable headaches, I sent her, (in the company of my wife), to a very well known Hospital in Rayong.

Two weeks later, she was dead.

The Hospital says its treatment was OK, even getting one other of their team of doctors to review the case.

BUT, I am asking, could they have done more?

Should they have done more?

Let me provide some relevant information, and then you can judge for yourselves.

On arrival at the hospital (April 18), she was referred to the ‘Brain Clinic’, where the consulting Doctor sent her for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan (MRI), and blood tests.

On reviewing the Scan Report, the doctor told my Mother-in-Law and wife that there was nothing serious to worry about.

He then prescribed several medications, and sent my wife and her mum home.

My wife’s report to me…”He’s not sure about why the headache, he thinks these tablets will fix things, and it cost 17,500B”.

HOWEVER, my Mother-in-Law was actually already in a potentially perilous situation.

The MRI Scan Report - showed clear evidence of “…acute lacunar infarctions”.

She had suffered a STROKE!

Why did the doctor not tell my wife and M-I-L this?

The Blood Tests also revealed that she was suffering from Leukocytosis, a blood disorder caused by an elevated White Blood Cell count, in her case 12,300 mcL.

A possible cause of this being a severe infection.

Again, during the consult, there was no mention of the irregular Blood Test results.

The question is, why?

Why did the doctor choose not to disclose ANY of these important pieces of information?

Was this a reasonable decision on his part?

Or was it a failure in communication, or worse, a failure of duty-of-care?

IF, instead of just being sent home, but rather she had been admitted to the Hospital that day (April 18); properly medicated and carefully monitored…could the damage at least have been contained?

And if so, would she still be alive today?

Sadly, we think YES…and that makes the death of my Mother-in-Law even more difficult for everyone to endure.

As my expertise is in the field of Education, I’m not qualified to offer a professional Medical opinion, so I forwarded the paperwork to a well-respected and highly experienced Australian Doctor.

He says that much more could have been done for my Mother-in-Law, and that we have every right to be very angry.

Having now viewed a copy of the original MRI Scan Report, he would have immediately informed everyone that Mum had suffered a stroke, and advised ALL of the seriousness of the situation.

Then organised:

(1) Urgent blood pressure control - under supervision at the Hospital

and

(2) An angiogram…to better determine the exact damage, and how best to contain it.

He would have also looked seriously at the irregular Blood Test results, with an option of starting a course of antibiotics.

This is just a complete travesty for my now deceased Mother-in-Law and her still grieving extended family.

What happened after my MIL was sent home with seemingly no cause for alarm, by the doctor from this elite Rayong Hospital?

Well, we all felt reassured, and just followed the directions on the various medications that she had been prescribed…all the time completely unaware that she was suffering the effects of a stroke, and possibly also a severe infection.

So, some two weeks later, it came as a complete shock when we could not wake her one morning. She was unconscious.

We immediately called an ambulance, and she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit - back at the same well-established Rayong Hospital.

It was only THEN that we learned the serious results of her first MRI, and now, a new second MRI revealed even more bad news.

After two days in the ICU, my Mother-in-Law was still unconscious, and the Surgeon recommended a “last grasp of the straw” operation, to drain excess fluid from her brain.

There was only a very slim chance that this procedure would help my MIL regain consciousness, BUT, looking into my wife’s eyes left me with no other option then to approve the expensive operation.

Cost or not, I understood that my wife needed to do everything possible for her mum, otherwise it would burden her conscience forever.

Unfortunately, Mum post-operation did not regain consciousness, AND having now exhausted our budget (322,500 Baht), we were left with no option other than to transfer her to the nearby Rayong Public Hospital.

Where she sadly passed away just three days later.

Obviously, IF we knew there was such a BIG problem two weeks prior, we would have taken additional immediate action…certainly obtaining a second opinion - from a Specialist, and advice from anywhere and everywhere to prevent any further damage…and perhaps save my Mother-in-Law’s life.

So, I ask, did this well known, elite Rayong Hospital do enough?

Or, could they have done more on April 18, when my Mother-in-Law went to seek their best Medical help and intervention?

It has been a truly sad saga.

THIS is just a running joke...and I mean 'running'.

FARCEness!

NO sane individual would attempt to justify this cowardly act.

Many, many aspects of this very sad case remain open to question…that is why the topic will always spark such a massive response on Thai

G'day Khun Beach...when I cam here (from Sydney) some five years ago, I used Palmers.

They had a Thai agent in Bangkok to do ALL the paperwork and arrange delivery. The move from door-to-door was smooth as.

The price was very, very reasonable. So, maybe worth contacting them in Oz, to see if they can give a quote for Thailand to Australia.

Funny...when I saw the heading for this thread, I actually thought that you were running a Poll on our "Fearless Leader".

Sorry, my mistake, wrong Poopy Shrimp.

Driving the "THAI Way" means too much speed + DELETED and ability.

THAT = THAINESS on the roads...which is why Thailand is officially the second worst country in the world for deaths per capita.

UNOFFICIALLY...that is, using the actual statistics, THAI drivers are by far THE WORST in the World.

Let's be careful out there...or buy an armour plated vehicle!

"Police also disclosed earlier Mrs Pornchanok had close connection with another Japanese but he later died after misstepping the stairways and fell to the ground from heart problem.

In that case, she received insurance sum from a firm for several million baht.
But in that case there was no unusual death but heart disease..."

Are you serious? NO UNUSUAL DEATH!

Given 'victim number two ' is now missing, hands up those who agree with this finding?

Geeezzz.

This Lebanese moron needs a good Bay Root!! And then send him back to where he originally came from...quickly!

ALL of us want REAL JUSTICE for the poor victims and their families.

The ONLY WAY to get conclusive proof, leading on to real justice is this:

(1) An independent Western Crime Team (FBI - Scotland Yard) has a sample of the 'real' original evidence i.e. the semen.

(By 'real', I mean that it was made available to the Crime Team three weeks ago - NOT NOW!)

(2) The Crime Team is able to now personally swab the two suspects, and obtain a sample from each of them for DNA testingin the States or in Britain.

ONLY when this independent team concludes that indeed there is a DNA match, to the semen and the suspects, can we know for sure that we have real justice.

Until that happens we are left with Thai Justicenot enough for closure for the familiesand all decent human beings.

J.W.